Saturday, August 23, 2014

Revisiting the Convoy

A truck from the convoy passes through a rebel-held
checkpoint. Photo: Sergey Ponomarev, for the New York Times.
The more than 100 Russian trucks that entered Ukraine yesterday has deposited its load of humanitarian aid with the separatists in Luhansk, and is returning to Russia. More trucks will follow. So far, the trucks do not appear to have been impeded by the Ukrainian government or the separatists; Russia has threatened an unknown response to the disruption of the convoy. Ukrainian representatives have said that they will not fire on the convoy, but that their response may change if it is found to be carrying anything other than humanitarian supplies. Russia insists that the convoy is carrying only humanitarian aid, and says that Ukraine was delaying delivery arbitrarily. Hopefully, the separatists will distribute the aid to those in need; the humanitarian situation in Luhansk is severe.

Ukrainian customs officials were in the process of inspecting the convoy when the trucks began entering Ukraine through a rebel-held checkpoint without their permission.

Reports claim that mortar fire landed "near" the convoy, though it was not damaged. The source of the mortar fire is unknown, as is the target.

Ukraine and other countries believe that the separatists are extensively armed and trained by Russia, as one separatist leader claimed last week. NATO says that Russian forces are currently present in Ukraine and participating in the fighting. Russia denies the accusations, and says that NATO has no proof. When NATO has released evidence of Russian involvement, Russia has claimed that it is falsified or insufficient.

The intervention precedes upcoming talks on the conflict in Minsk, in which the leaders of Russia and Ukraine were to discuss ending the crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facilitating the talks, which may be sabotaged by Russia's unilateral intervention.

It is the 75th anniversary of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, which divided Poland and the Baltic states between the two totalitarian regimes.
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